Member of Parliament (MP) for St. Thomas, Cynthia Forde.
Forde: Waterford Road in need of urgent repairs
Fri, 03/18/2016 - 8:42pm
The Ministry of Transport and Works is being urged to fix the Waterford Road as a matter of urgency.
The call has come from Member of Parliament (MP) for St. Thomas, Cynthia Forde. The Opposition MP raised concern
about the state of the heavily traversed road in the House of Assembly yesterday, as she contended that being a major artery into the City, there could be further congestion on the roads, if it is allowed to fall into disrepair.
“Waterford Road is now just as bad as Vaucluse Road in St. Thomas. It is a road artery that carries thousands of vehicles on a daily basis and it has begun to sink in about four different areas, so that if you are not a careful driver or you’re not used to driving along that road, you would believe that you are on a rollercoaster. I see a lot of damage as a result of poor drainage in that area. I know that there is a bridge in there, it seems to me as though there are blockages of the water in that watercourse, and it is having that serious impact,” she stated.
The St. Thomas MP again pointing out the dangers of that road, suggested that if there is no funding available to carry out a full rehabilitation of the road at this time, perhaps some money could be allocated for repairs to be done on the most serious areas. Also reiterating, the traffic challenges that could occur if the road is not in use, she said those repairs would best be done during the upcoming summer holiday when the traffic is likely to be reduced.
These comments came just moments before she stated it was also time to make the temporary roundabout that was erected in Waterford, between Combermere School and the National Stadium, a permanent structure.
“The roundabout is working well, but it is beginning to look tacky. Some of the poles and so on have fallen apart, and I think it is about time we make it into a full-fledged roundabout so that motorists will be able to manoeuvre in a way that is acceptable and safe,” she said.
The MP also called for improved road signage to be erected across the length and breadth of the country, lamenting that too many of the existing signs are in a poor condition. Moreover, she called for the placement of the pedestrian crossing at some of the roundabouts across the island to be re-examined, suggesting that they should be set up as much as 20 feet away from their present location.